Pipe aligning clamp



1939. J. B. GRAHAM ET AL 2,167,887

PIPE ALIGNING CLAMP Filed July 15, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

g- ,1939. J. B. GRAHAM ET AL 2,167,387

PIPE ALIGNING CLAMP Filed July 15, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 1, 1939.

J. B. GRAHAM ET AL 7,887

PIPE ALIGNING CLAMP Filed July 15, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGS.

llllllilh 5 J. B. GRAHAM ET AL PIPE ALIGNING CLAMP.

Filed July 15, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,167,887! PIPE ALIGNING CLAMP James B. Graham, Mount Lebanon, and Raoul G. Mayer, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignors to National Tube Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 15, 1937, Serial No. 153,865

ll Claim. (Cl. 113-102) ing the joint. Pivotally secured to the other end of the cross- An object of this invention is to provide an members I3- is an eye-bolt l'l provided with a apparatus for use around the outside of the pipe threaded end adapted to receive the nut l8 havsections so as to rigidly retain the abutting ends ing a. handle extension I9. This bolt H is aligned during the welding operation. adapted to be positioned in a slot 20 formed in Other objects and advantages will become apthe cross-members i2.

' parent as the description proceeds, in which: In this form of construction, the cradles being Figure 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus pivotally connected through the bolts l5 and applied to adjoining pipe sections; turnbuckle l6, are encircled around the pipe sec- Figure 2 is a detailed sectional elevation tions, so that the inwardly projecting lugs 9 enthrough one of the clamps of the present invengage the circumference of each pipe section and tion; thereby bring the abutting pipe ends into proper Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of alignment with each other. Upon securing the Figure l; bolt ll within the slot 2!] of the cross-members Figure 4 is a section on the line IVIV of l2 and turning the handle on the nut IS, the two Figure l; cradles force the abutting ends of the pipe sec- Figure 5 is an elevational view of a modified tions into alignment and rigidly hold them in form of the present invention, showing the use such position during the operation of welding the of a single cradle connected to a flexible member; joint; indicated at 2 I.

Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the In the form shown in Figures 5 to 9, inclusive, cradle construction applied to adjacent pipe secthe apparatus for clamping and aligning the pipe tions; sections comprises a cradle including spaced re- Figure 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of enforced channel members 22 having inwardly Figure 6; extending lugs 23 positioned in the same ver- Figure 8 is a section on the line VIII--VIII of tical plane and on each side of the frame. Cross- Figure 6; and members 24 are positioned adjacent the ends of Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view through the members 22. These cross-members extend the clamp and showing the pipe sections in inwardly and are constructed and arranged to aligned position. provide an arcuate portion for surface contact In the drawings, the numerals 2 and 3 reprewith the circumference of the pipe over substansent sections of pipe to be aligned by the present tially a quarter thereof. One end of the cross-' apparatus, wherebysaid abutting ends are held members 24 is provided with a slot 25 to receive in rigid alignment during the operation of weldthe threaded bolt 26 mounted on the flexible ing the joint. member 21, the other end of which is connected The apparatus for clamping and aligning said at 28 to the cross-members 24. A'nut I8, similar pipe sections comprises cradles 4 and 5, as shown in construction to that shown in Figure 4, is 40 in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. These cradles are of positioned on the threaded end of the bolt 26 to skeleton construction, each cradle comprising securely hold the cradle and flexible member spaced members 6 and 1 provided with reenforcabout the pipe sections. ing ribs 8 and having inwardly extending lugs 9. Under the constructions of the present inven- These lugs 9 are positioned in the same vertical tion, it becomes apparent that there is provided planeon each side of the frame and on a horizona clamping and aligning device capable of rigidly tal quadrant WhiChiS Of a diameter'that will holding adjoining sections of pipe in aligned permit the contoured faces Ill of said lugs to position during the operation of welding the joint contact the pipe sections 2 and 3 on which they which is shown at M in the respective figures. are to be positioned. While we have shown and described specific 0 Integral cross-members iii and I3 connect the embodiments of the present invention, it will be top and bottom portions of said spaced members seen that We do not wish to be limited exactly 6 and I. Pivotally secured at M to one end of thereto, since various modifications may be made said cross-bars l2 and ii are threaded bolts it. without departing from the scope of the inven- The threaded ends of said bolts l5 are connected tion, as defined by the following claim.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for clamping together adjoining sections of pipe in longitudinal alignment and retaining them in aligned position during the operation of welddiameter and insure contact of the lugs with said pipe sections.

, sections and having reenforcing ribs formed on We claim:

A clamp for aligning adjoining sections of pipe on a common longitudinal axis comprising cradles, said cradles each including spaced members extending longitudinally of the axis of the pipe one side and inwardly extending spaced lugs on the other side thereof, said lugs of each cradle lying in the same vertical plane and being so arranged as to contact said pipe sections at quadrants around the periphery thereof at points adjacent the point of welding of the pipe sections and at points above and below said first mentioned points of contact, integrally former cross-members for the spaced members of each cradle, means pivotally connected to the crossmembers of said cradles for adjustably positioning said cradles on said pipe sections and means on the other ends of said cross-members for clamping and releasing said cradles upon said pipe sections.

JAMES B. GRAHAM.

RAOUL G. MAYER. 

